The present invention relates to cat litters and, in particular, to an improved scoopable litter.
Pet owners and particularly urban cat owners have numerous concerns pertaining to the care and maintenance of pets. An ever present problem is collecting and disposing of animal wastes. A secondary problem is masking any odor, pending disposal.
For cat owners, the predominate mechanism for collecting and disposing of the wastes is a so called "cat litter". Typically, the cat litter is contained within an appropriate container that is placed about the residence of the pet owner and where the cat overtime becomes accustomed to urinating or defecating. The liquids of the feces and urine are absorbed by the cat litter, which is periodically cleaned or discarded.
Commonly used cat litters may comprise a clay based particulate, sand or gravel mixture, sawdust or wood chips. Deodorants or masking scents can be added to the base particulate material to mask the odor, pending collection. Such deodorizers can be added directly to the particulate or impregnated into an absorbent carrier. Depending upon the aroma and, if the cat is being trained to use an odoriferous mixture, the cat may either accept or reject the litter. Rejection is indicated by undesired messes at other than preferred locations about the household.
Another litter is a so called "scoopable" litter which has been recently introduced to the pet owner market. Such litters typically are comprised of a clay based particulate and to which a deodorizer is added, along with a hydrophilic material. The hydrophilic material reacts with the water in the urine and fecal matter to coalesce and produce clumps of litter where the animal has urinated or defecated. These clumps can be scooped from the container and disposed of along with any solid feces. A difficulty encountered with currently available litters is that a relatively soft clump of waste matter is formed with the hydrophilic action.
With subsequent use of the container by the same or multiple cats, the cats can cause the clumps to break-up and remix with the litter, unless the pet owner regularly cleans the litter container. With any remixing of the fecal matter, the pet owner is faced with the same problems as with a non-scoopable litter. Should the cats have worms or other digestive tract parasites, the released parasites can be spread amongst the cats and even possibly to other pets.
Another difficulty is that cats tend to exhibit a preference for certain litters. Once trained to use one litter, a cat may reject another, even if offering improvements.
A further difficulty of clay based litters arises from disposal by pet owners into community sewer systems. That is, many pet owners flush the used litter or clumped fecal matter into their toilet. Because the clay is not susceptible to decomposition, the particles over time can collect and obstruct the system conduits. The problem is of special concern in large municipalities or metropolitan areas. Preferably, all of the litter ingredients should comprise materials which decompose in a relatively short time.
Accordingly, applicant has sought to develop a litter mixture which produces relatively hard clumps that encapsulate the waste and do not break up with continuing use by one or more cats. Desirably, the additive is also biodegradable and presents no undesired health problems to the cat.
The litter may include an attractant to minimize rejection of the litter by the cat. Moreover, the active ingredients of the mixture can be commercially sold as an additive mixture for use with commercially available non-scoopable litters. A non-scoopable litter upon mixing with the additive can thus be converted to a scoopable litter. As significant, any modified litter will be of a type familiar to the pet and not readily rejected.